Improvement in fire-escapes



A. PELHAM; Fire-Escapes.

Patented July 29,1873.

` ///////J///I/////I/ m x' nj& mg* %7% UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ABBAM PELHAM, OF PLYMOUTH, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, LAFAYETTE O. HALL, AND SEBE H. FAIRMAN, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN FlRE-ESCAPES.

Specification formin g part of Letters Patent No. 141378, dated July 29, 1873; application filed April 5, 1873.

To all whom it may concew:

Be it known that I, ABRAM PELHAM, of Plymouth, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fire-Escape; and I do des clare that the following is a true and accurate description thereof, rererence being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon, and being a part of this specificaton, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section. Fg. 3 is an elevation of the reel-frame, showing the piston-rod in crosssection, the cylinder being unscrewed and removed from the reel-frame.

Like letters refer to like parts in the several figures.

This invention has for its object to afford a device by means of which a person may lower himself from the uppcr story of a building to the ground with safety, while the speed of his descent is under his control. The invention consists in a reel-frame having a cylinder' attached to one end, whose piston-rod is screwthreaded, and passes'into a hollow reel, by the revolution of which the piston is moved toward the end of the cylinder. In unwinding the rope and reel the piston is forced toward the outer end of the cylinder, which contains water, which is permitted to escape from an opening in its end, in Volume regulated by a valve. lt' the water be allowed but a small aperture to flow through, its resistance to the piston will only allow of a slow movement of the reel, and vice versa. The device may also be used by painters and others to sustain and lower their scaifolds.

In the drawing, A represents a metallic frame, through one end of which a reel, B, is journaled, the projecting end of the journal being fitted with a crank, G. The body of the reel is hollow, with a nut or screw threaded part, B', at one end, in which is tapped a screwthreaded piston-rod, D, which passcs through the end of the frane and is bolted to a piston, E, playing in a cylinder, F, which is screwed. into the outer 'end of said frame. The pistonrod has a longitudinal groove, a, cut in it, and into this groove projects a stud, b, from the opening in the frame, which prevents the said rod from rotating, but allows it to freely move in a longitudinal direction. The outer head of the cylinder has an angular passage, c, of small bore drilled through it, with a valveseat in the angle, against which may be seated a valve, G, whose stem is tapped in the cylin- ;ler-head. H is a cord or wire-rope secured to the reel, around which it is wound. d d are openings in the lower corners of the frame, to which are Secured the ends of a sling, in which the user may place his feet, when he desires to lower himself from the upper stories of aburning building.

To prepare the device for use, open the Valve Gr, and insert the end of the cylinder in a vessel of water or other liquid, and by the crank wind up the rope on the reel, which, at the same time, will retract the piston from the outer to the inner end of the cylinder, as seen in Fi g. 2, filling the cylinder with water, then close the valve and remove the crank from the reel.

In case of fire or other emergency, when it becomes necessary to use the device, the operator makes fast the free end of the cord to some stationary object, first unreeling enough cord to allow hin to place the frame and sling outside the window-sill; then securing himself in the sling he is Suspended in mid air, for the reason that the water in the cylinder, being incompressible, prevents the advance of the piston; hence he opens the valve G, and allows the water to be slowly expelled from the cylinder, which allows the piston to move forward, beingimpelled by the screw of the reel moving forward the screwthreaded piston-rod. lf he wishes to desced rapidly he gives the valve a full opening, or to descend slowly he reduccs the opening of the out-flow, and by closin g the valve he can stop at any point.

The device is small, compact, and not heavy, so that a traveler can Conveniently carry it in a corner of a trunk, and once ;mea with water, it is ready for use at {L moment `s notice.

It can also be used by painters and others to regula-te the deseent of their sea''olds.

What I claim as my nvention, and desre to secure by Letters Patent, is

The Construction and arrangement of the fmne A, reel B with its nut B' and stud b projeeting into the goove a of the threaded pisten-red D, the piston E, eylder F provded With the passage c and valve G, and the COFH, substantally as and for the purpose set forth.

ABRAM PELHAM.

Witnesses:

I. N. HEDDEN, JEROME T. J OHNSON. 

